Fish and insects in one smart stop. The reimagined Audubon Aquarium packs marine life from the Caribbean to the Amazon, right by the French Quarter. You’ll get a true sightseeing route, starting with underwater walls and ending with hands-on learning.

Two things I really like: the 30-foot clear viewing tunnel through the Great Maya Reef habitat, and the chance to interact in the 60-foot Shark Discovery Touch Pool. One drawback to plan for: getting in can be smooth with skip-the-line tickets, but a small handful of past bookings reported barcode scanning issues that still required a brief line check, so give yourself a few extra minutes.

Key Things To Know Before You Go

• 3,600+ animals across 250+ species makes this feel like a real collection, not just a few tanks
• 30-foot clear tunnel gives you a walking view of the Great Maya Reef habitat
• 60-foot touch pool lets you interact with sharks and stingrays
• Amazon Rainforest gallery includes free-flying birds and species like piranhas, pacus, and an anaconda snake
• Combo upgrades can add Audubon Zoo and/or the Insectarium and Butterfly Garden for better value

Audubon Aquarium in New Orleans: What You’re Really Paying For

For $63 per person, you’re not buying a generic aquarium ticket. You’re buying time savings plus a lot of physical experiences: seeing animals at scale, learning through exhibits, and getting at least one genuinely hands-on moment.

This is a state-of-the-art, AZA-accredited aquarium, and it’s been recognized in a major national reader poll. That matters because the vibe isn’t just “look at fish.” The exhibits are built to help you slow down, track what you’re seeing, and understand how different habitats work. If you like attractions that feel designed for real viewing (not just quick photo stops), you’ll appreciate it.

Also, your ticket is valid for 5 days. That’s handy because you can match your visit to your energy level and the weather. If you start with a long day in the French Quarter, you can come back later without feeling trapped by a tight schedule.

Planning Your 5-Day Visit: Best Order for Aquarium and Insectarium

You’re free to make your own route, but your start point matters.

If you’re entering the aquarium or insectarium first, you go to the Audubon Aquarium building from the riverfront side. The key move: use your barcoded ticket to skip ticket-line purchase, then go upstairs and choose whether you’re doing the aquarium or insectarium first.

If you’re doing the zoo first, you start at 6500 Magazine Street at the main entrance for the same skip-the-line flow.

Here’s a practical way to plan the order based on how the space works:

• Start with the aquarium galleries first while you’re fresh. There’s a lot to take in, from marine habitats to the big tunnel.
• If you’re adding the insectarium and Butterfly Garden, go after that. Insect areas can feel more “close and detailed,” and you’ll usually appreciate that once you’re done with the wider marine sections.

If you’re traveling with kids, this approach keeps the day from becoming one long loop. If you’re traveling solo or as a couple, it helps you avoid “I saw everything but I didn’t remember anything.”

Great Maya Reef Tunnel and the 450,000-Gallon Gulf Habitat

The Great Maya Reef is where the aquarium flexes its design. Instead of only watching fish from the side, you walk through a 30-foot clear viewing tunnel. That means your perspective changes without you moving much. You can literally watch different swimmers cross paths as you go—slow, curious, and surprisingly calming when the rest of New Orleans gets loud.

Then there’s the aquarium’s largest exhibit: the 450,000-gallon Gulf of Mexico habitat. Big habitats do two jobs. First, they give you more stable “real animal” behavior, because bigger tanks can support more natural movement. Second, they give your visit a sense of scale. It’s harder to feel like you’re rushing when one stop is genuinely large.

In this part of the route, look for the endangered species information and any habitat context you see posted. The aquarium is arranged so that you can connect what you’re seeing to where the animals come from—Caribbean and Amazon galleries feed into Mississippi River and Gulf-of-Mexico settings.

Shark Discovery Touch Pool: The Hands-On Moment That Changes the Day

If you only do one interactive thing, make it the Shark Discovery Touch Pool. You’re stepping into a 60-foot hands-on area where you can interact with sharks and stingrays.

This is the kind of experience that works for adults, too, because it flips the aquarium from “watching” to “feeling the reality.” There’s a huge difference between seeing a stingray gliding behind glass and having one respond to touch nearby. It turns the aquarium into a memory you can’t blur together with other attractions.

One practical note: even with a scheduled rhythm, hands-on areas can draw crowd attention. If your goal is max interaction time, plan to aim for the touch pool earlier in your visit or when you see things moving smoothly.

Also remember the basic rules: no food and drinks and no smoking. That keeps the area cleaner and safer, especially when you’re close enough to touch.

Amazon Rainforest Gallery: Birds Overhead and Predators Up Close

The Amazon Rainforest section shifts the tone. Instead of focusing only on “blue water,” it emphasizes plants, overhead motion, and layered habitats.

You’ll see lush plant life and free-flying birds. Then the aquatic side becomes very real: you may come across piranhas and pacus, and you’ll also see an anaconda snake as part of the gallery’s animal mix.

This gallery is useful because it reminds you that “aquarium life” isn’t only ocean animals. The Amazon galleries help you connect freshwater environments with predators, prey, and the way different species share (or compete within) the same system.

A key detail if you’re traveling with a service animal: certified service animals are allowed in the aquarium generally, but not in the Amazon Encounters and Amazon Rainforest areas. If that applies to you, it’s worth planning your route around where those areas begin.

Penguin Exhibit and Rare White Alligators: The Keeps-Coming-Back Highlights

Not every good exhibit is the largest. Some are the ones people point to after the fact—the parts that feel special and a little surprising.

Here, two crowd items are the penguin exhibit and rare white alligators. Penguins usually bring instant attention because they’re active and visually clear, and white alligators pull people in because they’re unusual. Both help break up the marine-heavy flow and add variety to the day.

I like using these as “anchors.” After you’ve done tunnels and hands-on tanks, these stops give you a mental reset. You finish the visit feeling like you covered a wide range, not just one theme.

Insectarium and Butterfly Garden: Where Detail Gets Serious

The insect experience is often the part that makes the day feel different from every other aquarium stop. The Insectarium and Butterfly Garden option gives you a separate building-style experience within the same overall complex timing.

Here’s what I’d expect you to get from it: a lot more than a quick look at insects. The insect areas are known for tight attention to design and animal detail, and the Butterfly Garden adds a lighter mood to balance out the marine sections.

You’ll also find interactive moments tied to the overall programming. For example, there can be stingray-related hands-on activity at intervals (think roughly every hour), and the butterfly exhibits often create a strong “kids are engaged without being restless” rhythm.

If your group includes adults who like observation or kids who learn by doing, the insectarium is the section that makes that happen.

Audubon Zoo Combo Upgrades: When the Extra Ticket Makes Sense

The combo upgrades are where you can make your money feel smarter—if you actually plan to use the extra time.

The aquarium ticket can be upgraded with the Audubon Zoo, which is in spacious grounds in uptown. There’s also an option to include both Audubon Zoo and the Audubon Insectarium and Butterfly Garden (and that insectarium/butterfly garden is in the same building as the aquarium). The offer is designed so you can save compared with buying each entry by itself.

So when should you add the zoo?

• If you want a full day outdoors after your aquarium time
• If your group is big on animal variety (aquarium + land animals)
• If you’re in New Orleans for multiple days and can split your visits across the calendar

If you only want one attraction and you’re short on time, the basic aquarium ticket is already packed. The zoo upgrade is best viewed as an add-on plan, not a “might as well” extra.

Practical Logistics: Hours, Strollers, and Getting In Smoothly

Hours are 10 AM to 5 PM, with last entry 30 minutes before closing. That means you don’t want to show up late, especially if you want to take your time in the tunnel and touch pool zones.

Ticket entry is built to be fast. Your barcoded ticket is meant for skip-the-line admission. Still, I’d plan a small buffer in case your barcode needs a quick manual check at the door. One past booking reported scanning trouble that led to standing in line longer than expected.

A few other real-life details:

• Strollers can’t be bigger than 29 inches wide and 52 inches long.
• Wagons, wagon strollers, push cars, and ride-ons aren’t allowed inside the aquarium to keep walkways clear.
• Wheelchair access is available, and there’s a limited number of wheelchairs for rent on a first-come basis.
• Parking can be challenging near the Quarter, so build in time even if your entry goes smoothly.

One more tip: pack a mindset for self-paced wandering. One adult-adored aspect from the experience is that you can enjoy it as a calm, choose-your-path visit rather than feeling herded.

Who This Ticket Fits Best

This works especially well if you want a blend of:

• Hands-on animal interaction (sharks and stingrays)
• High-design exhibits (that clear Maya Reef tunnel)
• Different habitat themes in one location (marine, rainforest, freshwater connections)
• A second attraction option (insectarium and butterfly garden, plus zoo combos)

It’s also a good fit for mixed-age groups. Kids get interaction and close-up attention, while adults get strong exhibit design, clear habitat context, and plenty of time to move at your own pace. Even teens often appreciate the self-guided feel, especially when there are clear “go see this” moments like penguins and alligators.

If you hate walking, this won’t be your ideal day. You’ll cover enough ground to make it worth wearing good shoes.

Should You Book This Aquarium & Insectarium Ticket?

I’d book it if you’re in New Orleans and want one attraction that gives you both spectacle and participation. The touch pool and Maya Reef tunnel are the two pillars that make the ticket feel worth the price, and the insectarium option adds variety without turning the day into a chaotic mashup.

Skip the upgrade ideas only if you’re certain you don’t want the zoo or insect/butterfly areas at all. But if you’re open to a full, animal-heavy day with a smart break between ocean and insects, this is a strong pick.

FAQ

How many animals and species can I see?

You’ll see more than 3,600 animals from 250+ species.

Is there a hands-on experience included?

Yes. The ticket includes the Shark Discovery Touch Pool, where you can interact with sharks and stingrays in a 60-foot hands-on area.

How long is the clear viewing tunnel?

The Great Maya Reef viewing tunnel is 30 feet long.

What can I expect in the Amazon Rainforest gallery?

The Amazon Rainforest gallery includes lush plant life, free-flying birds, and aquatic species such as piranhas and pacus, plus an anaconda snake.

Does this ticket let me skip the ticket line?

Yes. It includes Audubon Aquarium skip-the-ticket-line entry.

Where do I enter if I go to the aquarium first?

Enter the Audubon Aquarium building from the riverfront side, use your barcoded ticket to go in, then proceed upstairs to enter.

Where do I enter if I go to the zoo first?

Go to the main entrance at 6500 Magazine Street, New Orleans, LA 70118 and use your barcoded ticket to skip the line.

Is the aquarium wheelchair accessible?

Yes. The aquarium is wheelchair accessible, and there are a limited number of wheelchairs available for rent on a first-come, first-served basis.